Adjusting buckle for a suitcase

ABSTRACT

An adjusting buckle for a suitcase comprises a female buckle member and a male buckle member. The female buckle member has a front opening, a rear opening, a release button, and a flexible board. The front opening and the rear opening are respectively formed through the female buckle member. The release button is mounted on the female buckle member. The flexible board is mounted in the female buckle member. The flexible board is aligned with the release button. The flexible board has two fastening blocks formed on the flexible board. The male buckle member has a handle and two sliding portions. The sliding portions extend from an outer surface of the handle. Each sliding portion has multiple fastening holes formed through the sliding portion. The two fastening blocks are fastened in two parallel ones of the fastening holes of the respective sliding portions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an adjusting buckle, especially an adjusting buckle for a suitcase that can adjust the capacity of the suitcase and can prevent the items in the suitcase from being scattered, displaced, and damaged.

2. Description of the Prior Arts

A conventional suitcase is used to store clothes and personal belongings for travel. The conventional suitcase is made of heavy woods, so the conventional suitcase is inconvenient to carry. The materials of the suitcase change with the development of science and technology, and light materials such as plastic and cotton have been applied to manufacture the suitcases. In addition, the conventional suitcases can be classified as soft suitcases and hard suitcases according to the manufacturing materials. The conventional soft suitcase is lightweight and easier to carry due to its portability. The conventional hard suitcase can sustain a larger external impact than the conventional soft suitcase, so the conventional hard suitcase is suitable to carry fragile items. However, the conventional hard suitcase has a fixed capacity. If the conventional hard suitcase is not fully loaded, the articles stored in the conventional hard suitcase would be scattered, displaced, and damaged while the hard suitcase is dropped or moved by an external force. Therefore, the conventional hard suitcase needs to be improved.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides an adjusting buckle for a suitcase to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide an adjusting buckle for a suitcase that can adjust the capacity of the suitcase and can prevent the items contained in the suitcase from being scattered and damaged. The adjusting buckle for a suitcase comprises a female buckle member and a male buckle member. The female buckle member is a hollow housing, and the female buckle member has a front side, a rear side, a front opening, a rear opening, a release button, and a flexible board. The front opening is formed through the front side of the female buckle member. The rear opening is formed through the rear side of the female buckle member. The release button is disposed on an external top surface of the female buckle member. The flexible board is mounted on an inner bottom surface of the female buckle member near the front opening The flexible board is aligned with the release button. The flexible board has two fastening blocks. The fastening blocks are spaced apart from each other on the flexible board and are distal from the front opening.

The male buckle member is movably connected to the female buckle member. The male buckle member has a handle and two sliding portions. The handle is mounted on a side of the male buckle member and extends out of the front opening of the female buckle member. The sliding portions are formed on and extend from an outer surface of the handle that faces the front opening. Each sliding portion has multiple fastening holes. The fastening holes are formed through a top surface and a bottom surface of the sliding portion. The two fastening blocks are fastened in two parallel ones of the fastening holes of the two respective sliding portions that are parallel with each other.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an adjusting buckle for a suitcase in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the adjusting buckle in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is another exploded perspective view of the adjusting buckle in

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a female buckle member of the adjusting buckle in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional side view of the adjusting buckle in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional rear side view of the female buckle member of the adjusting buckle in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an operational perspective view of the adjusting buckle in FIG. 1, assembled in a suitcase; and

FIG. 8 is another operational perspective view of the adjusting buckle in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, an adjusting buckle for a suitcase 30 in accordance with the present invention is mounted on a bottom inner surface of the suitcase 30 and comprises a female buckle member 10 and a male buckle member 20.

With reference to FIGS. 2 to 4, the female buckle member 10 is a hollow housing and has a front side, a rear side, a front opening 15, a rear opening 16, a release button 11, four upper slide rails 12, a flexible board 13, and two lower slide rails 14. The front opening 15 is formed through the front side of the female buckle member 10. The rear opening 16 is formed through the rear side of the female buckle member 10. The release button 11 is disposed on an external top surface of the female buckle member 10 and has a pushing block 111. The pushing block 111 is formed on and protrudes downwardly from a bottom surface of the release button 11 near the front opening 15.

The upper slide rails 12 are formed on and protrude from an inner top surface of the female buckle member 10 and communicate with the front opening 15 and the rear opening 16. Two of the upper slide rails 12 are located near one of two opposite sides of the release button 11, and the other two upper slide rails 12 are located near the other side of the release button 11. The two sides of the release button 11 are parallel to each other.

The flexible board 13 is mounted on an inner bottom surface of the female buckle member 10 near the front opening 15. The flexible board 13 has a pressing block 131 and two fastening blocks 132. The pressing block 131 is formed on and protrudes from a top surface of the flexible board 13 and aligns with the pushing block 111 of the release button 11. The pushing block 111 is mounted over the pressing block 131. The fastening blocks 132 are formed on the flexible board 13, are spaced apart from the pressing block 131, and are distal from the front opening 15. Each fastening block 132 has an oblique face 1321 towards the front opening 15 and a vertical face 1322 towards the rear opening 16. The lower slide rails 14 are formed in the inner bottom surface of female buckle member 10 and are respectively located on two sides of the flexible board 13. The lower slide rails 14 communicate with the front opening 15 and the rear opening 16. With reference to FIG. 6, the lower slide rails 14 are respectively parallel to two outermost ones of the four upper slide rails 12 of the female buckle member 10.

With reference to FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, the male buckle member 20 is movably connected to the female buckle member 10. The male buckle member 20 has a handle 21 and two sliding portions 22. The handle 21 is mounted to the male buckle member 20 and extends out of the front opening 15 of the female buckle member 10. The handle 21 has a pulling groove 211, and the pulling groove 211 is formed through a top surface and a bottom surface of the handle 21. The two sliding portions 22 are formed on and extend from an outer surface of the handle 21 that faces the front opening 15. A space 224 is formed between the two sliding portions 22. For combining the male buckle member 20 and the female buckle member 10, the pressing block 131 of the flexible board 13 is positioned in the space 224 between the sliding portions 22.

Each one of the two sliding portions 22 has multiple fastening holes 221, two upper sliding bars 222, and a lower sliding bar 223. The fastening holes 221 are formed through a top surface and a bottom surface of the sliding portion 22. The upper sliding bars 222 extend on the top surface of the sliding portion 22 and are located at two sides of the fastening holes 221. The lower sliding bar 223 extends on the bottom surface of the sliding portion 22 and is parallel with the outer one of the upper sliding bars 222. The two fastening blocks 132 of the flexible board 13 are fastened in two parallel ones of the fastening holes 221 of the two respective sliding portions 22. So the four upper sliding bars 222 of the two sliding portions 22 are movably mounted in the four upper slide rails 12 of the female buckle member 10, and the two lower sliding bars 223 of the two sliding portions 22 are movably mounted in the two lower slide rails 14 of the female buckle member 10 to provide a rectilinear guiding effect to the adjusting buckle.

With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, in use, the adjusting buckle of the present invention is mounted in the suitcase 30. The suitcase 30 has an adjusting area 31, and the adjusting area 31 is formed around and on an outer surface of the suitcase 30. The adjusting area 31 is a soft fibrous structure and is expandable. The female buckle member 10 and the male buckle member 20 are respectively mounted on the inner bottom surface of the suitcase 30 and are located on two sides of the adjusting area 31. In addition, the female buckle member 10 and the male buckle member 20 are mounted partially over and across the adjusting area 31. In an initial condition, the sliding portions 22 of the male buckle member 20 are completely received in the female buckle member 10, so the width of the adjusting area 30 is reduced by the female buckle member 10 and the male buckle member 20. The suitcase 30 has a minimum capacity when the adjusting area 30 is limited by the female buckle member 10 and the male buckle member 20.

With reference to FIGS. 3 to 5, the capacity of the suitcase 30 can be adjusted by pressing the release button 11 of the female buckle member 10 and forcing the release button 11 to move downward to push the pressing block 131. The flexible board 13 is moved downwardly, and the fastening blocks 132 are moved away from the corresponding fastening holes 221 of the sliding portions 22. Therefore, the limitation by the female buckle member 10 and the male buckle member 20 is released and the handle 21 can be dragged outwardly relative to the female buckle member 10. Then, the male buckle member 20 is moved continually until drawn to a suitable length, and the release button 11 can be released. So the flexible board 13 would be moved upwardly to the initial position and the fastening blocks 132 are fastened with two of the fastening holes 221 of the respective sliding portions 22.

Finally, the length adjustment of the male buckle member 20 and the female buckle member 10 is completed. Furthermore, users can reduce the connecting length between the male buckle member 20 and the female buckle member 10 by pushing the handle 21 inward into the female buckle member 10, because the oblique faces 1321 of the fastening blocks 132 would be pushed by the sliding portions 22.

By means of the above-mentioned features, the adjusting buckle of the present invention is mounted in the suitcase 30 and the capacity of the suitcase 30 can be adjusted by the female buckle member 10 and the male buckle member 20. So the suitcase 30 can hold the items securely to prevent the items from scattering and damage when the suitcase is not fully loaded. The capacity of the suitcase 30 also can be increased when loaded with plenty of items, and this can improve the practicability of the suitcase 30.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An adjusting buckle for a suitcase comprising: a female buckle member being a hollow housing and having a front side and a rear side; a front opening formed through the front side of the female buckle member; a rear opening formed through the rear side of the female buckle member; a release button disposed on an external top surface of the female buckle member; and a flexible board mounted on an inner bottom surface of the female buckle member near the front opening, the flexible board aligned with the release button and having two fastening blocks formed on the flexible board, the two fastening blocks spaced apart from each other and being distal from the front opening; and a male buckle member movably connected to the female buckle member and having a handle mounted on a side of the male buckle member and extending out of the front opening of the female buckle member; and two sliding portions formed on and extending from an outer surface of the handle that faces the front opening, each sliding portion having multiple fastening holes formed through a top surface and a bottom surface of the sliding portion, wherein the two fastening blocks are fastened in two parallel ones of the fastening holes of the two respective sliding portions that are parallel with each other.
 2. The adjusting buckle for a suitcase as claimed in claim 1, wherein the release button has a pushing block, and the pushing block is formed on and protrudes downwardly from a bottom surface of the release button near the front opening; and the flexible board has a pressing block, the pressing block is formed on and protrudes from a top surface of the flexible board and aligns with the pushing block of the release button, and the pressing block is disposed between the sliding portions.
 3. The adjusting buckle for a suitcase as claimed in claim 1, wherein the female buckle member has four upper slide rails and two lower slide rails, the upper slide rails are formed on and protrude from an inner top surface of the female buckle member and communicate with the front opening and the rear opening, two of the upper slide rails are located near one of two opposite sides of the release button, and the other two upper slide rails are located near the other side of the release button, the two lower slide rails are formed in the inner bottom surface of the female buckle member and are respectively located on two sides of the flexible board, the lower slide rails communicate with the front opening and the rear opening, the lower slide rails are respectively parallel to two outermost ones of the four upper slide rails of the female buckle member; the male buckle member has a space formed between the sliding portions, each one of the two sliding portions has two upper sliding bars and a lower sliding bar, the upper sliding bars extend on the top surface of the sliding portion and are located at two sides of the fastening holes, the lower sliding bar extends on the bottom surface of the sliding portion and is parallel with the outer one of the upper sliding bars; and the four upper sliding bars of the two sliding portions are movably mounted in the four upper slide rails of the female buckle member, and the two lower sliding bars of the two sliding portions are movably mounted in the two lower slide rails of the female buckle member.
 4. The adjusting buckle for a suitcase as claimed in claim 2, wherein the female buckle member has four upper slide rails and two lower slide rails, the upper slide rails are formed on and protrude from an inner top surface of the female buckle member and communicate with the front opening and the rear opening, two of the upper slide rails are located near one of two opposite sides of the release button, and the other two upper slide rails are located near the other side of the release button, the two lower slide rails are formed in the inner bottom surface of the female buckle member and are respectively located on two sides of the flexible board, the lower slide rails communicate with the front opening and the rear opening, the lower slide rails are respectively parallel to two outermost ones of the four upper slide rails of the female buckle member; the male buckle member has a space formed between the sliding portions, each one of the two sliding portions has two upper sliding bars and a lower sliding bar, the upper sliding bars extend on the top surface of the sliding portion and are located at two sides of the fastening holes, the lower sliding bar extends on the bottom surface of the sliding portion and is parallel with the outer one of the upper sliding bars; and the four upper sliding bars of the two sliding portions are movably mounted in the four upper slide rails of the female buckle member, and the two lower sliding bars of the two sliding portions are movably mounted in the two lower slide rails of the female buckle member.
 5. The adjusting buckle for a suitcase as claimed in claim 1, wherein each fastening block has an oblique face towards the front opening and a vertical face towards the rear opening.
 6. The adjusting buckle for a suitcase as claimed in claim 2, wherein each fastening block has an oblique face towards the front opening and a vertical face towards the rear opening.
 7. The adjusting buckle for a suitcase as claimed in claim 3, wherein each fastening block has an oblique face towards the front opening and a vertical face towards the rear opening.
 8. The adjusting buckle for a suitcase as claimed in claim 4, wherein each fastening block has an oblique face towards the front opening and a vertical face towards the rear opening.
 9. The adjusting buckle for a suitcase as claimed in claim 6, wherein the handle has a pulling groove, and the pulling groove is formed through a top surface and a bottom surface of the handle.
 10. The adjusting buckle for a suitcase as claimed in claim 7, wherein the handle has a pulling groove, and the pulling groove is formed through a top surface and a bottom surface of the handle.
 11. The adjusting buckle for a suitcase as claimed in claim 8, wherein the handle has a pulling groove, and the pulling groove is formed through a top surface and a bottom surface of the handle.
 12. The adjusting buckle for a suitcase as claimed in claim 9, wherein the handle has a pulling groove, and the pulling groove is formed through a top surface and a bottom surface of the handle. 